Healthcare organizations in crisis context: decision-making models and roles of CEOs

This research makes a significant contribution to the growing literature on crisis management in three key ways. First, it emphasizes the importance of analyzing the decision-making process through the combined lens of different dimensions and phases. Second, it enhances the Arendt et al. (2015) model to include multiple critical dimensions of the decision-making process beyond the initial focus on decentralization, and demonstrates how, in a crisis context, the actors involved by the CEOs diverge from the original framework. Third, it offers new insights into the variables affecting the roles of the CEOs and other key actors in crisis-related decision-making, transcending the boundaries of role theory. In terms of managerial implications, reflecting on and interpreting the core of the organization's decision-making processes, can support top management teams in navigating change, providing them a more robust and rational base for guiding the transition to a post-crisis "new normal".